Coin and key case



Dec. 8, 1964 H. W. coNLEY com AND KEY CASE Filed sept. 17, 1962 INVENTOR. I/awAeo ll/. (aA/ev 7 70m/Em- :.11 Inni, A

United States Patent Odice iihib Patented Dec. 8, 1964 enseres BUEN AND KEY CASE Howard W. Conley, West Shore Drive,

Detroit Lakes, Minn. Filed Sept. 17, 1962, Ser. No. 224,175 Z Claims. (Cl. 1159-67) This invention relates to a case for carrying keys and coins.

An object of my invention is to provide a new and improved pocket-sized coin and key case of simple and inexpensive construction and operation.

Another object or my invention is the provision of a novel case which contines articles such as keys and coins with substantially no possibility of their spilling out of the case when the case is carried in a persons pocket but which case provides ready and easy access and free and unobstructed inspection of the articles carried in the case.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of an improved and novel key and coin-carrying purse which resiliently .returns itself to closed condition after having been opened by manual manipulation and which, when open, presents the articles such as keys and coins coniined therein, for accurate inspection to determine the exact nature thereof.

A further object of my invention is to provide a new and novel coin and key-carrying purse which is readily and easily opened by manual manipulation of a single human hand in such a manner that only an absolute minimum of manual dexterity is required for opening the purse and which purse will return to coin and key-conlining closed condition when manual pressure is released.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of anl improved coin and key-carrying case which is constructed in such a manner that mere convergent pressure between two lingers or" a persons hand will consistently and positively produce opening of the case so as to provide 4 ready and easy access to inspect all of the articles in the case for selectionof those which are desired for removal.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters referto the same or similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

PEG. l is a front elevation View of the case;

FlG. 2 is an end elevation view of the case;

FIG. 3 is a transverse section view taken at 3-3 in FIG. l;

FlG. 4 is a top plan View of the case;

FIG. 5 is a top plan View of the case showing the condition of the portions thereof as the fingers of the person commences to apply pressure for opening the case;

IG. 6 is a top plan View of the case held in substantially fully opened position;

FiG. 7 is a transverse section View taken at 7 7 in FiG. 6, and

FlG. 8 is a longitudinal section view taken approXimately at 8 8 in FIG. 2 and showing the case utilized for confining keys.

One form of the present invention drawings and is described herein.

The coin and key-carrying `case is indicated in general by numeral 19 and comprises an integral and onepiece receptacle 11 formed by molding7 and being constructed of a resiliently ilexible and easily pliable material such as vinyl. The receptacle has spaced and confronting sidewalls 12 and 13 which are substantially ilat, and in use will be normally disposed in an upright position. The sidewalls 12 and 13 converge adjacent the lower portions 14 thereof and are joined together and formed integrally with each other so as to cooperatively form a bottom for the receptacle 11.

is shown in the The sidewalls 12 and 13 have areas 12a and 13a of somewhat increased thickness and said areas are of sornewhat curved or semi-annular in shape so as to leave areas 12b and 13b of relatively reduced thickness intermediate the opposite ends of the sidewalls. The reduced thickness areas 12b and 13b facilitate somewhat easier bowing or bending of the sidewall and somewhat localizing the bowing of the sidewalls so as to accentuate bowing of the sidewall at the areas 12b and 13b intermediate the opposite ends of the sidewdls.

The receptacle 11 is also provided with endwalls 15 and i6 which are formed integrally of the sidewalls 12 and 13 and extend transversely therebetween. The endwalls 15 and 16 are of a thickness comparable to that of the sidewalls. It will be noted that each of the endwalls 15 and 1o has an aperture 17 therein adjacent the upper portion thereof to receive a key chain 18 upon which may be mounted keys 19.

The receptacle 11 is also provided with a pair of flaps Ztl and 21 which are respectively formed integrally of the sidewalls* 13 and 12 and entendl from the upper portions of the sidewalls across the top of the receptacle and in overlapping relation with each other with the flap Ztl disposed in overlying and engaged relation with the ap 21. It should be noted that the adjoining areas of ap 21 and sidewall 12 define a smoothly rounded inner surface 22, and the portion 23 in the adjoining area between the sidewall and ap 21 is of slightly increased thickness as compared to either the flap or the sidewall. The iiapsV Zii and 21 extend longitudinally along the upper portions of the sidewalls and into widely spaced relation with the endwalls 15 and 16 so as to expose upper edges 12C and 3c of the sidewalls 12 and 13 adjacent the endwalls.

It will further be noted that the ilap 2l extends across the inner key and coin-confining compartment 24 into closely spaced relation with the interior of sidewall 13 so as to substantially prevent llattening of the case 1t) and movement of the upper portions of the sidewalls toward each other.

The coin and key-carrying case is most easily operated by manipulation thereof with the thumb T and fore- 'inger F of a persons hand. The thumb and foreiinger are used to apply inwardly directed pressure against the endwalls l5 and 16. Because the thumb and foretnger are inherently rounded, the inward pressure applied will cause the endwalls and 16 to bow inwardly in the manner shown in FiG. 5. As the endwalls 15 and 16 bow inwardly, the adjoining portions of sidewalls 12 and 13 are bowed outwardly through action of the resiliently ilexible material of the case. Because the edge portions 12e and 13C of the sidewalls are unobstructed by iiaps 2d and 21, the end portions of the sidewalls readily bow outwardly as seen in FIG. 5. As the sidewall 12 starts to bow outwardly, the flap 21 is urged upwardly in llexing movement and is prevented from llexing downwardly by the configuration of the adjoining portions of ap 21 and sidewall 12. Simultaneously as sidewall 13 commences to iiex or bow, the iiap 2t) is caused to ex. Upward exing of the lower tlap 21 assures that upwardly directed pressure is applied to the ap 20 to cause upward ilexing thereof, whereupon, as additional inwardly directed pressure is applied by the thumb and forefinger so as to bow the sidewalls 12 and 13 in the manner seen in FIG. 6, the aps Ztl and Z1 liex upwardly so that at least the intermediate portions thereof are in substantially upright positions as seen in FIG. 7. It will be obvious that in the position of the case as seen in FIGS. 6 and 7 the coin and key-confining compartment 24, is widely opened at its top so as to allow ready access to keys 19 or coins 25, depending upon Whatever is carried in the case itl. It will further be noted that `the opening of the case in the manner shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 allows 3 ready and easy inspection of the articles such as keys 19 or coins 25 so as to allow the user of the case 10 to readily ascertain the presence or location of the desired article in the compartment 24 so that the proper article may be removed.

It will be understood that during the bowing of the sidewalls 12 and 13, the areas 12b and 13b of reduced thickness accentuate the bowing along the upper intermediate portion of the sidewall. In the event keys are conlined in the compartment in the manner shown in FIG. 8, a mere ip of the hand will cause the keys to swing out while remaining attached to the case.

It will, of cause, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention which consists of the matter shown and described herein and set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A pocket case for coins, keys `and the like,

comprising an integral one-piece receptacle constructed of resiliently ilexible and easily pliable material, said receptacle defining a key and coin-confining compartment and having a pair of broad and generally at upright sidewalls confronting each other, said sidewalls having upwardly extending upper edge portions and opposite ends,

a pair of substantially at upright endwalls of said material and said endwalls being formed integrally of and extending transversely between the ends of said sidewalls, v

a pair of closure flaps each connected to and formed integrally with the upper edge of a respective sidewall and extending transversely therefrom in over-V lapping relation with the other ap, said aps having ends disposed in spaced relation with the ends of the sidewalls to expose unobstructed end portions of the upper edge portions of the sidewalls, thereby permitting the sidewalls to readily flex outwardly adjacent the endwalls in response to inwardly directed pressure applied against the endwalls to commence the outward bowing of the sidewalls and thereby cause opening of the compartment and upward exing of the flaps to allow ready and easy access into the compartment, said sidewalls and aps resilientlease of the pressure on the endwalls.

2. A pocket case for coins, keys and the like, comprising an integral receptacle constructed of rean upper flap and a lower flap disposed in overlapping and engaged relation with each other adjacent the upper portions of said sidewalls and extending substantially between said opposite ends for closing the compartment, said upper and lower flaps being respectively connected to and formed integrally of the upper portions of said opposite sidewalls and extending transversely therefrom, said flaps having ends disposed in spaced relation with the ends of the sidewalls to expose unobstructed end portions of the upper edge portions of the sidewalls to permit the sidewalls to readily ex outwardly adjacent the endwalls in response to inwardly directed pressure applied against the endwalls, the lower ilap and the corresponding sidewall having adjoining portions delining a common, smoothly rounded inner surface and preventing downward flexing of the lower ap,

the receptacle endwalls and sidewalls respectively bowing inwardly and outwardly in response to inwardly directed pressure applied against the endwalls to open the compartment,

said lower ilap being positively urged and flexed up- References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Saad Ian. 13, 1959 Mullin Ian. 16, 1962 l 

1. A POCKET CASE FOR COINS, KEYS AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING AN INTEGRAL ONE-PIECE RECEPTACLE CONSTRUCTED OF RESILIENTLY FLEXIBLE AND EASILY PLIABLE MATERIAL, SAID RECEPTACLE DEFINING A KEY AND COIN-CONFINING COMPARTMENT AND HAVING A PAIR OF BROAD AND GENERALLY FLAT UPRIGHT SIDEWALLS CONFRONTING EACH EACH OTHER, SAID SIDEWALLS HAVING UPWARDLY EXTENDING UPPER EDGE PORTIONS AND OPPOSITE ENDS, A PAIR OF SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT UPRIGHT ENDWALLS OF SAID MATERIAL AND SAID ENDWALLS BEING FORMED INTEGRALLY OF AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY BETWEEN THE ENDS OF SAID SIDEWALLS, A PAIR OF CLOSURE FLAPS EACH CONNECTED TO AND FORMED INTEGRALLY WITH THE UPPER EDGE OF A RESPECTIVE SIDEWALL AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THEREFROM INOVERLAPPING RALATION WITH THE OTHER FLAP, SAID FLAPS HAVING ENDS DISPOSED IN SPACED RELATION WITH THE ENDS OF THE SIDEWALLS TO EXPOSE UNOBSTRUCTED END PORTIONS OF THE UPPER EDGE PORTIONS OF THE SIDEWALLS, THEREBY PERMITTING THE SIDEWALLS TO READILY FLEX OUTWARDLY ADJACENT THE ENDWALLS IN RESPONSE TO INWARDLY DIRECTED PRESSURE APPLIED AGAINST THE ENDWALLS TO COMMENCE THE OUTWARD BOWING THE SIDEWALLS AND THEREBY CAUSE OPENING OF THE COMPARTMENT AND UPWARD FLEXING OF THE FLAPS TO ALLOW READY EASY ACCESS INTO THE COMPARTMENT, SAID SIDEWALLS AND FLAPS RESILIENTLY RETURNING TO SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT CONDITION UPON RELEASE OF THE PRESSURE ON THE ENDWALLS. 